Sofia Sightseeing
Sightseeing Overview
The best starting point for a walking tour is ploshtad Sveta Nedelya, the city's main traffic hub. From here, a grid of streets radiate out towards the inner ring road, forming an irregular octagon around town. The main attractions are enclosed within this space and are all within walking distance of one another.
From ploshtad Sveta Nedelya, bulvard Maria Louiza runs north, to the city's sole surviving functioning mosque, Banya Bashi Mosque. Close by, the Central Baths, which are currently undergoing major refurbishment, the Central Food Halls and the Synagogue form a hub of early 20th-century monuments.
The boulevard proceeds through an area that becomes progressively less imposing as it nears the Central Station. Just off to the left lies the lively Women's Market.
Meanwhile, to the south lies bulvard Vitosha, with the peak of Mount Vitosha proudly rising in the distance. The monumental bulvard Tsar Osvoboditel, running east of ploshtad Sveta Nedelya, goes past the exquisite St Nicholas Russian Church to arrive at Alexander Nevski ploshtad, overlooked by Sofia's star attraction, St Alexander Nevski Memorial Church, and the early Byzantine Church of St Sofia. Along this street are also the Ethnographic Museum, Archaeological Museum and National Art Gallery.
Since 2006, the dual pricing system on entry to museums and sights has been scrapped; foreign tourists now pay the same as locals.
Tourist Information
Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya 1
Tel: (02) 933 5845/5811.
Website: www.bulgariatravel.org
The surprisingly little-known state-run tourist office is located bang in the city centre in a modern office. The staff has city maps, plus leaflets, information and booklets on tours, shopping and entertainment, including the invaluable booklet Sofia in your Pocket.
Passes
Fresh ideas are just one click away...
Travel Deals
-
Finland Activity & adventure holidays Finnish Lapland has enormous areas of untouched wilderness and mile upon mile of wild rolling fells. This vast open countryside, sparkling in the winter sunshine, just begs to be explored by
-
Orlando Adrenaline Whether you’re enjoying the hair-raising delights of the world’s only flying rollercoaster called Manta at SeaWorld or racing through the Everglades on an airboat in search of alligators, one thing’s for
-
Cambodia Luxury holidays Today Cambodia is symbolised by awesome Angkor Wat, the largest man-made religious structure in the world. However, Cambodia is also home to some of the finest boutique hotels in the world
-
Laos Inspire Me When the French colonised Indochina they had a saying: "The Vietnamese grow the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice grow, and the Lao people listen to the rice grow." This is
-
Vietnam Cultural breaks Vietnam is a country with a rich and varied history that is now firmly focused on her bright future. This is why it has become one of the hottest destinations for
-
Dominican Republic Family holidays The Dominican Republic has soared in popularity as a tropical hotspot for families seeking sun, sand and an affordable holiday in the Caribbean. The island's main attraction is magnificent golden sand